


Trouble

by anonomousfan



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:14:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1301221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonomousfan/pseuds/anonomousfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Guan wasn't sure he would be able to stop the likely course of events in the face of what Kimiko has grown to become.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Seven years. It had been seven years since Guan had last seen the monks. They had been barely thirteen then, still so young and idealistic. He could honestly say he had missed the young dragons in training. There really had been no need for his presence as there was a lull in the activation of shen gong wu. They simply stopped appearing. It was a common enough occurrence, there was often an alternation between small spans of intense activity, followed by long gaps in which little happened at all. When the Wu slowed down, so did The Conflict and Guan had decided to retire to the mountains for a bit and let the monks develop and train without his interference until the wu once again became restless. Seven years later they decided to resurface, which was why Guan now found himself staring at the familiar gates of the Xiaolin temple and being greeted by Master Fung.

"Welcome Master Guan, so wonderful to see you after so many years." Fung greeted amiably.

"It is nice to see you as well friend, I hope these seven years have been as kind to you as they have been to me." He replied, genuinely pleased to see his colleague after seven years. Fung was one of the few monks who could truly entertain him. While he had nothing but good will and respect to all of the monks of the Xiaolin temple, most of them were just so… boring. Not that he was the definition of spontaneity himself, but after fifteen hundred years one grew tired of making conversation with generations of stern faces repeating the same mantra of the Xiaolin manifesto and abiding by the rules without stepping even a single foot out of line. He either got that or unrestrained awe, where he would immediately be placed on far too high a pedestal for his liking. Fung, with his quiet humor and mischievous eyes, made a rather excellent companion as Guan always felt on equal footing with the man.

"Things have been very well, although more so for the young monks. I must admit it is rather difficult to no longer have them as my students. Being surpassed is an odd feeling indeed."

He had almost forgotten that the monks in training were no longer in training. Just a year ago he had gotten the news that they had graduated to the level of full-fledged dragons. Guan had felt immensely proud at the time and still felt so now, and was extremely curious to see how powerful they had become, as well as how much they had changed in the past seven years. He had trouble thinking of the little thirteen-year-old children from so long ago as fearsome Xiaolin dragons.

He slapped Fung on the shoulder with a wry smile.

"It will pass friend, be proud that you have produced such excellent warriors."

Fung returned the smile. "I'm sure you are eager to see their progress."

They turned to the gates and walked to the interior of the temple.

"Where are the young dragons anyway?" Guan asked as they crossed the courtyard into the receiving room. Fung gestured to one of the cushions around the table and turned to prepare tea. He spoke amongst the clattering of porcelain.

"They are at a showdown." He replied before turning around and setting a steaming teacup before Guan. A thought occurred to him as he watched the elder take the seat across the table, an identical cup clasped in his hands. If the showdowns had started…

"Have they encountered Chase Young yet?" Guan inquired, sipping his tea with relish. Fung really knew how to brew the perfect beverage.

"He has not appeared, although I am sure that will not last long." Fung replied after taking a drink for himself.

"He has not been encountered at all these past seven years?"

"He hasn't been seen since the last wu activated." Guan set his half empty cup down.

"It will be interesting to see how they stack up to him."

"Indeed" Fung replied. They weren't stronger than Chase, Guan knew, not yet at least. He was sure, however, that they would sufficiently be able to keep him at bay in most cases. Chase never seemed to be totally, completely serious when it came to combating the Xiaolin and Guan had honestly never seen him at full power, in a battle where his very life was at stake, would likely never see it.

"Perhaps they will encounter him today, it's about time already." Fung said, snapping him out of his thoughts. Fung shifted his eyes slightly and Guan became slightly curious.

"Indeed, that is very possible." Guan agreed, "We will just have to wait until they return. Regardless of Chase, I am most excited to see them again."

"They have changed greatly." Fung replied, the hint of foreboding in his voice so slight, none but Guan would have caught it. He looked at Fung in confusion.

"Not in any negative way I hope?" He asked, choosing to address the ominous tinge that had peppered Fung's statement. The old monk looked at him with slight surprise at being read so easily, but nonetheless relented.

"I'm sure I'm putting to much into it, it is likely a none issue." Fung replied after a moment of silence, and Guan grew increasingly concerned. Fung averted his eyes from Guan's face and he could detect the slightest trace of embarrassment.

"Any problem you find should be taken seriously, you are not the sort of man to worry yourself over trifling matters." Guan reassured. "Tell me, what troubles you friend." He prompted.

Fung remained uneasy, but nodded in appreciation at the compliment. He sat there for a few minutes, looking down from Guan's reassuring smile into his now empty teacup. He stared at the intricate pattern of tea leaves settled at the base, debating on how to properly phrase the issue that had recently been becoming more and more apparent to him as his students grew.

"It's not a problem, not really, just something I have observed that concerns me." He finally said.

"Well?" Guan prompted. Fung began to look distinctly uncomfortable and he grew more curious.

"Its only one of them, and its of no fault of their own." Fung continued. Guan began toworry.

"Who is it and what is the problem?" He asked, hoping that maybe once he found out he could help solve the issue. Fung went silent again. Guan grew impatient but waited for his friend to finish. After a moment, the man looked up, a wary question in his eyes.

"What…" He began, before exhaling loudly. Guan tilted his head as a reassuring prompt to continue. Fung fingered his teacup nervously.

"What was Chase's element before turning?"

What?

It was such an odd question that it threw Guan off for a moment. What did Chase have to do with this?

"Fire. Why?" He asked with an increasing amount of confusion. That confusion turned to wariness as Fung's face paled slightly, his hands clenching the teacup.

"I see."

"What does Chase have to do with this Fung?" Guan asked with confused trepidation.

"It is Kimiko, she…" Fung was interrupted by the tell tale sweep of displaced air, followed by the sounds of animated chatter. The monks had arrived.

"I think you will understand when you see her." Fung said.

Within a second, the unease that had marred his features was gone, replaced with a kind smile as he turned and walked out the door to greet the warriors in the courtyard. Guan followed him, intent on seeing what exactly the problem was and how exactly it connected to Chase. Did the immortal have some kind of plot going? But then how would Fung have known about it? The questions just kept piling up but Guan knew that just sitting at the table and pondering was not going to give him the answers he needed. The talking grew louder as Fung greeted his former students. Guan rose from his seat and walked out of the room. He strained his eyes against the bright light of the sun shining on the marble courtyard. Once they adjusted he laid his eyes on the scene before him. The dragons' backs were to him as they greeted their former master, a shrunken dojo resting gleefully on Fung's shoulder.

The first one he noticed was Omi, who was now just a bit taller. Not by much of course, Guan thought with amusement. The cowboy hat to Omi's left caught Guan's attention next, where a considerably taller and considerably more muscular Clay stood, messy blond hair peeking out from beneath his hat. Next to him stood Raimundo, his posture proud and tall, with the same tan and the same air of confidence. Kimiko was standing beside Omi. She was taller and her hair was styled differently, let down to her hip in a river of black ink. She was talking to Fung animatedly as her teammates listened to the conversation

Raimundo was the first to notice him, turning his head slightly after growing bored of the conversation, his forest green eyes lighting up as he spotted Guan.

"Master Guan!" All three heads tuned in his direction, but he was blocked from seeing Kimiko's face as three excited bodies ran into his line of sight. Remembering her manners, Kimiko turned back to finish her conversation with her former teacher. That left him with three exuberant boys. No, they were men now.

My they had grown!

All three were quite handsome. Omi had lost his childish appearance, his face neat and angular but containing a boyish charm that likely had many girls gushing. Clay looked like the typical country beau, with a handsome smile and twinkling blue eyes. Raimundo was rather striking with a sharp jaw and soldering green eyes. He looked every inch the playboy he had pretended to be as a child. Guan almost felt sorry for the women of the world, as these young men would remain quite untouchable. At least they better be, Guan thought ominously, thinking of Raimundo in particular. A tap on his left shoulder caught his attention. As Fung was now without a conversation partner it could only be on person. He turned to the dragon of fire, his greeting dying on his lips as he laid his eyes upon her. He inhaled inaudibly.

He knew what the problem was now.

Beautiful wasn't even a word he could use to describe her. A heart shaped face coupled with a softly defined chin and high cheekbones gave her a regal sort of air. In contrast her wide, baby blue eyes were the absolute definition of innocence. He felt as if he were staring into gems, they shimmered so vibrantly. Inky waves of ebony hair cascaded down her back, bone straight, appearing as if one could fall into its blackness. Her body presented a similarly stunning vision, but he refused to elaborate, even mentally, on the basis of propriety.

She was an absolute goddess and an absolute nightmare. If he thought the boys were going to be a bit of an issue, Kimiko was a crisis.

"Master Guan?" Her doe like eyes peered up at him with concern. He realized he had been staring and snapped smile onto his face.

"I'm sorry. I was distracted for a moment." He looked away from her and clapped a hand on Raimundo's shoulder. "Its wonderful to see everyone again. You all have matured quite considerably."

"Ya think so?" The Brazilian boy replied. "I'll admit I've grown into quite a looker myself." He said rather haughtily, puffing his shoulders out. Guan had no time to laugh, as Omi couldn't wait to chime in a response.

"I am uncertain as to you my friend but I do believe I have become quite the handsome goblin." Kimiko gigged and rolled her eyes, the soft melodic quality of her voice demanding his attention to the problem at hand. It killed the laugh that was bubbling up his throat.

"Its devil partner." He barely heard Clay's voice as he dragged his eyes away from the group to look at Fung, whose face was taught with wariness. Guan shifted his eyes towards the tearoom they had just vacated, his friend nodding imperceptibly in response. The monks carried on, oblivious to the communication between their mentors.

"Although I'm sure Master Guan is delighted to meet you again," four heads turned in the direction of the soft but commanding voice of their teacher, "we have many things to discuss." The monks looked slightly disappointed.

"I'm sure Guan would love to join all of us for dinner tonight." He added and all four brightened up considerably.

"Indeed." Gun added. "I am most excited to hear of your progress."

"And we are most excited to tell you, master Guan." Omi said enthusiastically. The monks bid them farewell and disappeared into one of the many doors surrounding the courtyard single file. Before entering however, Kimiko stopped and spun around, her illustrious hair twirling around her shoulder as she did so. Her face was lit up with realization.

"Dojo! My phone!"

The dragon stopped snuggling Fung's shoulder and turned towards the female.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot." Dojo reached his hand into whatever place he manages to keep objects in and produced Kimiko's cellphone, a glistening screen surrounded by pink metal.

"I should get papa to send one for you", Kimiko laughed as she strode towards the reptile, "you've become addicted to playing games during showdowns."

"I got nothing better to do, plus this new tech is awesome!" He handed over the device upon Kimiko's arrival, though he was obviously reluctant to do so.

"Thank you dojo, I'll be sure to get papa to hustle." She patted the dejected dragon on the head before turning towards Guan.

The setting sun cast a halo around her hair, her blue eyes sparkling in the light. She tilted her head a fraction and gave him a sweet smile.

"See you at dinner master Guan." She nodded her head respectively to both him and Fung before turning around and walking gracefully through the door she had recently abandoned, looking to him rather like a gliding angel as she passed.

Both men frowned and Dojo looked between them curiously.

"So… What's with the gloomy faces?"


	2. Chapter 2

Dinner was a loud affair, especially since Fung had disappeared on business. Everyone seemed to have something to say, some long-winded story to tell about themselves, the boys being most guilty of this. Unfortunately, Guan only had one set of ears. What followed was a cacophony of conversation in which one monk would begin speaking, only to be interrupted, as one of their counterparts simply couldn't resist adding a comment of their own into the story, which would then prompt a retort. The third would then add his two cents in and all three would proceed to bicker with one another. It was rather amusing and Guan felt like he should perhaps get a queue going for his attention. He was glad they still had such energy and enthusiasm.

"And then, while Raimundo was falling behind, I seized Spicer and threw him right of the course!" Omi's proud voice rang throughout the room.

"Who was falling behind?" Raimundo's indignant voice chimed in, "Without my wind, you wouldn't have even been able to reach him!"

The current topic of discussion was the showdown earlier in the day, in which Raimundo and Omi raced Jack Spicer for the wu. Both men were eager to display their superior skills to Guan, resulting in quite the amusing exchange. He sipped his tea and smiled.

"Jack Spicer is still in the conflict?" He inquired, changing the subject so as to give everyone some peace in which to eat in.

"Yup" Clay's voice chimed in as the other two didn't hear Guan amongst their bickering, "Though he's progressed slower than a cornstalk during drought season."

Clay still loved his metaphors it seemed. He would make a great teacher one day, Guan thought.

"The poor boy is still in over his head I see." Guan replied amongst the continued arguing across from him, which was getting increasingly loud.

"Well I'd like to see you subdue forty robot monkeys single handedly!" Both boys were now standing up, almost nose-to-nose. Clay, the ever sensible one, spoke up.

"Come on guys, lets all just eat in peace." He pleaded but was ignored, making him irritated. He jumped into the fray, trying to command the duos attention as their rivalry continued unabated. Guans smile took a reminiscent tinge. The image was so familiar.

He could remember, fifteen hundred year ago, in this very room, the same scene would happen almost daily. Him, Dashi, and Chase would return from their day and discuss their previous battles over dinner, resulting in the situation now occurring before. For a brief moment, Omi and Raimundo were replaced by Chase and himself, as an exasperated Dashi attempted to play referee. Those had been the good days. He was glad, however, that although the situation was similar, the two boys were vastly different from him and Chase. Omi wasn't too proud to alienate his friend, Raimundo wasn't plagued by a severe sense of inferiority, and Clay was attentive enough to keep everything together. While Guan and Chase's bickering had been rooted in the rift forming between them, the argument today was good-natured. There was no true discontent brewing beneath the surface.

This was just two friends playing around. The thought sent a wave of relief through him as the fear he had held for the past seven years was assuaged. They would be fine.

"Boys will be boys." He turned to his left at the feminine voice. Kimiko was staring at the fight, her eyes twinkling in amused exasperation. She turned to him, the humor refusing to fade from her eyes.

"I'm sorry about them, they just can't resist getting into a pissing contest." She put a hand on her mouth, although he could tell she wasn't truly embarrassed only concerned for his sake.

"I'm sorry was that too forward of me? I've lived with these idiots for so long I forget how to speak properly." She looked at him sheepishly.

"Being a lady is quite the virtue." He scolded gently, wondering if she could sense the satire. She looked at him and he could see the look of amused exasperation on her face. Within a second though she wiped it of her face and replaced it with a look of meek submission, she clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her had.

"I do apologize if my vulgar attributes have offended you sir, I shall be more discreet in the future."

She hadn't detected the joke and he felt instantly guilty.

"Ah, Kimiko I'm sorry I…" He stopped his apology when she tilted her head up slightly, her crystal eyes meeting his. But rather than the embarrassment he had expected he found only amusement shimmering in their depths. Her mouth was straining not to smile. It took him only a moment to realize he had been had. He laughed out loud.

"Oh my," He said with amusement, "It seems I have fallen victim to my own joke."

Kimiko raised back into an upright position, her lips blossoming into a smile.

"I'm sorry. I like to tease, especially those who tease me first." She raised her cup to her lips and sipped it gently, with a ladylike grace.

She had a quick wit, as most of her element did. Despite their reputation as short tempered, fire dragons had a way with words, knew how to use them to get what hey wanted without having to resort to their more violent nature. It was likely why Chase was so good at manipulating others. She would probably be able to hold her own against the immortal in a verbal spar.

The thought was not comforting and he was reminded of the conversation he, Fung and Dojo had before dinner.

Kimiko might have a problem. She had grown into a considerable beauty and Fung was concerned that as a beautiful woman completely surrounded by mostly men, she may be accosted by many.

 

Flashback:

"Have any of the boys taken an interest in her?" Guan had inquired. Fung sighed.

"I believe Raimundo may have feelings for her." Guan was not surprised, as he had seen the wind dragon's eyes shift in her direction more than once when they were in the courtyard.

"I don't think she returns the sentiment though," Fung had continued. "She sees all of the boys as siblings, not to mention they are bound by their vows. I don't think we have much to worry about in the temple." But there was another in the area, Guan knew, who wasn't so inclined.

"I think we all know what the real problem is here." Dojo chimed in form his place on the table.

"Chase." Guan replied severely. Fung nodded and Dojo rolled his eyes.

"Come on guys, you don't seriously think he's going to try something do you?"

"They share the same element." Fung remarked pointedly, "and they are on opposite sides."

"They are naturally compatible, the Yin and Yang of fire."

Not to mention that both were very attractive people. Kimiko had been too young for her to view Chase in that way seven years ago but she was an adult now, and Guan would admit that Chase was a very attractive man. All three were aware of this fact but chose not to elaborate. They were far more comfortable viewing this from Chase's perspective.

"Her beauty will not go unnoticed."

"I'm not saying they won't be attracted to one another, its almost a given that they will, but do you honestly think Chase would take such a risk just to chase some skirt? Have some respect for the man."

Dojo's words echoed in his head. Were they overreacting? Chase was Heylin, yes, but he had enough pride an honor to not go seducing women he had no business perusing. If there was one good attribute Chase had it was common sense and common sense dictated that you didn't start dangerous liaisons with the enemy that could easily result in a mess.

"You're forgetting that Kimiko has enough common sense not to go flitting around with an immortal Heylin warlord." Dojo added, as if he had read Guan's thoughts.

"She's not some fragile female that will be fooled by seduction."

"But is common sense enough if both of them are more than willing?"

Fung's question hung in the air.

 

Would it be enough? Dojo seemed confident in Kimiko's ability to prevent anything and Chase certainly wasn't some lustful beast. They were sensible people. Plus, if this personality of hers was anything to go by, Chase would have a hard time manipulating her into his bed.

"Am I boring you Master Guan?" Kimiko's amused voice brought him out of his deep thoughts. He smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I seem to have let my thoughts run away with me." He smiled apologetically.

"You seem to be doing that a lot today." She teased, although he could see a probing glint in her eyes. She was sharp.

Indeed, pernicious seduction was out of the question. She would obviously not be fooled. But while her personality assuaged that fear it also brought about another.

Kimiko glanced at the boys who were still embroiled in their argument and then down to her now empty plate.

"I guess I should go break these guys up before we end up being here all night." She said with exasperation before rising and making her way to the others.

"Come on guys! Break it up already!"

What about affection? What if their personalities were somehow compatible? Such a thing could produce something far more dangerous than a fling.

As he watch the boys break up their fight, Omi and Raimundo with a groan and Clay with poorly concealed relief while Kimiko scolded them, her face alight with a sternness that did nothing to mar her excessive beauty, he wondered.

Is common sense enough?


	3. Chapter 3

The next day proved to only strengthen his fears. It was noon when Dojo gave the signal that a new wu had activated. The four dragons immediately left their training to attend. They invited, with poorly disguised enthusiasm, Guan to accompany them, to which he heartily agreed. He came partly to see the monk's progress and partly because he knew there was a good chance that Chase would be there. He had learned from dojo the previous evening that they hadn't yet encountered Chase at the first few showdowns, only Jack and Wuya along with the occasional Katnappe. Guan knew that Chase was sure to make an appearance in the immediate future as things had been picking up for too much for him to stay away for long.

A part of him almost wanted Chase to appear, hoping that perhaps the fears Dojo insisted were irrational would be subsided. There was even the possibiity that Chase would remain as indifferent to Kimiko as he had been seven years ago.

That hope was immediately shattered upon their arrival.

The monks and himself had touched down mere moments before the boisterous laugh of Jack Spicer ripped through the air. They all looked skyward as the boy flew through the canyon that the wu was hiding in, donning his signature helipack, and touched down a few hundred feet in front of them. His cackle followed him all the way down.

"Yo Xiaolin losers! Ready to give up your wu to the awesome genius that is me?"

Guan fought the urge to roll his eyes. It seemed some things never change. Of course Omi was ready with his witty retort.

"You are wrong Jack Spicer! We will fell you in one neat swish!"

"It's clean sweep Omi, clean sweep." Kimiko giggled.

"It is the same thing Kimiko." Omi insisted. Raimundo slapped a hand to his forehead.

"Dude, you do this every time."

"Do what? Amaze you with my excellent wordplay?"

"Whatever you say partner." Clay sighed. Guan could only look on amused at their antics.

"Perhaps we should remain focused on the task at hand." Guan suggested. Jack was inclined to agree as he was beginning to puff up like a parrot.

"Yeah losers! How about you pay attention to the real fight!" He fumed. Kimiko looked at him with mirth.

"What fight?" She said with a condescending sort of amusement. The other three seemed to be in agreement as they cast faces of humor.

Jack bristled.

"I'll show you a fight! Jackbots attack!" With a dramatic point of his finger, about twenty Jackbots appeared and charged the monks.

The amount of time it took the dragons to subdue the mechanical fighters was downright pitiful. Guan hadn't even participated, choosing instead to watch the others do battle. In the five minutes it took for every scrap to be destroyed, Guan observed their abilities and was quite impressed.

Omi was acting the prodigy as usual. His form was flawless and perfect, each strike precise and deadly. Clay stood on the opposite end of the spectrum, his fighting style requiring a looser form as he used his brute strength to overwhelm the enemy, rock solid like his element. Raimundo swept past his adversaries, twisting around as he breezed from foe to foe, seeming to float with ease.

Kimiko, of course, was a vision. She flipped and twirled about the enemy, her long hair and wide sleeves fluttering around her as she did so. She danced around her opponents, twisting and turning in a way that made it nearly impossible to hit her. Kimiko's crystal blue eyes were alight with the rush of battle, a small smile on her face as she enjoyed her art. He could only imagine what she looked like when she summoned her element. As it was, none of the monks found it necessary to use their powers, choosing instead to rely on martial arts alone.

They were very powerful indeed and Jack Spicer was proving to be a rather insignificant enemy.

Within moments, Jack stood amongst a heap of scrap metal. Although this didn't deem to deter the boy's enthusiasm, if anything it only increased his fervor. The boy didn't take defeat very well.

"So what!" He sputtered to the now bemused group of dragons, "The wu is still mine!"

"I think not." Seven heads quickly spun over to the top of one of the many cliffs that layered the canyon to find the source of the proud voice.

And there he was.

Unlike Jack, who had grown to be considerably taller and more mature (at least in appearance), Chase hadn't changed a single bit. From his long hair to his golden armor, everything remained just as it had been seven years ago. Guan watched as his eyes trailed disdainfully from Spicer's form before settling on the monks.

Guan could tell the exact moment Chase had seen Kimiko. He had first scanned over the boys and although his signature smirk remained on his face the entire time, completely masking his emotions, Guan could see the analytical gleam in his eyes as he briefly pursued each if the men in his typical calculating manner. And then he saw Kimiko. The moment his eyes reached her form his smirk had faltered for the briefest of moments. Chase's eyes had widened imperceptibly, his pupils narrowing. It was all so slight that even the minuscule parting of his lips could have been mistaken by most as the mere passing of air, but Guan knew better.

This was Chase's version of staring agape, and even though the entire instance had lasted for less than a second, Guan could tell the man was taken off guard. The crack in Chase's countenance had been repaired though, now there wasn't even a trace of the shock that had subtly marred his features.

"Well, its seems the children have finally grown into adults." He sneered, a bit more harshly than usual. He raked a graceful hand through his long hair, a nervous tick Guan remembered that Chase had always used when particularly out of sorts.

He was absolutely flustered, and doing a very good job at hiding it. Guan wasn't fooled.

The monks, for their part, didn't seem to notice Chase's sudden change in demeanor. All four of them glared at him, with Omi stepping to the forefront.

"Chase Young, we have indeed grown and as fully fledged dragons we will stop any evildoing you may be up to!" He ended his speech with a flourish in his tone and a fist raised slightly in the air. Chase raised his eyebrows, his arms crossed at his chest.

"I have indeed heard of your progress" Chase replied., "Although I fear you are still a few centuries too early to be a match for me." With that Chase gracefully leaped from his perch and made a beeline for the shen gong wu, knowing full well that the monks would leap into action to stop him. It was likely, Guan mused, that Chase had little interest in the wu itself and was merely making a grab for it in order to bring him into confrontation with the monks. He was probably just as curious as Guan was to see how much progress had been made. For his part, Guan chose to stay back and let the monks handle things on their own, although he would naturally intervene should any real danger arise. This was nothing more than a play fight to Chase though, so that would likely not be necessary. Plus, there were other things Guan was keen on observing.

As expected, the monks were on Chase almost instantly, leaving Jack behind in the dust in order to leap in front of the warlord. Omi was the first to charge forward, leaping up and coming down on Chase with an attempted strike. His wrist was grabbed in mid air as Chase flung Omi around him, dashing ahead before he could recover. Within a second second Clay was already on him with his usual bombastic fighting style. Chase slithered around the cowboy like a snake, waiting until his side was exposed by a lifted arm, and then struck the vulnerable spot with an iron open palm. The blow left Clay sliding away as he gipped his throbbing side. Chase resumed his sprint undaunted, pausing only to flip over Raimundo, who had been flying towards him in a burst of wind. Chase cleared the human obstacle, delivering a roundhouse kick to the Brazilian's back. After this brief interlude, Chase reached the shen gong wu, some kind of rod that enabled the user to sprout wings. He placed his hand upon it, intent on taking this minor victory, but a pale hand took the place in front of his. Guan grimaced.

Chase and Kimiko stared each other down.

"A showdown is it then?" Chase titled his head with a smirk, a glimmer in his eyes that Guan didn't quite care for. Kimiko grinned, white teeth flashing between cherry red lips, lips that Chase couldn't seem to stray his eyes from.

"You bet, now lets do this!"

That was the last sentence between them that Guan could make out, as they began softly deciding what the game would be. Chase murmured something to her, a grin spreading on his face. Kimiko sputtered, red faced, before they separated and a cloud of magic shielded them from view. The showdown had begun.

They were completely alone together, and Guan couldn't see a damn thing.

Whatever the showdown was, it obviously involved complete isolation from outsiders. It happened occasionally, as certain challenges required absolute concentration. It was a game of the mind and there was nothing he could do but wait it out and hope for the best. A growling sort of sigh next him caught his attention. He turned to see Jack, with a scowl on his face and a piece of shrapnel in his hand.

"Man, I just never have any luck." He said with a frown, staring down at the remains of his creations. Guan clapped a hand on the boys shoulder.

"Your perseverance is quite admirable, I'm sure it will pay of one day."

Jack snorted but nonetheless seemed to lighten up considerably. He glanced warily at Guan.

"I honestly can't understand why you're so nice all the time."

Guan only smiled.

"It is the Xiaolin way child, and being so stanchly polarized only hinders the future." Jack scratched his head at the statement.

"What is it with you immortals and your weird gibberish?" He scoffed, just as the other monks arrived. At the sight of the scrap metal in Jack's hand Raimundo snickered.

"Boy, we sure experienced the awesome genius that is you. I think I might have pulled a muscle." He finished that sentence with a laugh, the others joining in. Jack bristled.

"Well at least you Xiaolin losers are gonna loose the wu!" He retorted, rather triumphantly. Quite suddenly all three boys glared hard at Jack, Raimundo seeming to be particularly angry.

"You have something to say about Kimiko? Cause let me tell you, she can kick any of our asses." Raimundo said rather spitefully.

"Including yours." Clay added darkly. Jack rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. Guan found their dedication to their friend quite admirable, although he saw the intelligence behind Jack's dumb statement. The boy may appear like a dimwit but Guan could see that past the idiotic front the boy put up, was quite a sharp mind. Jack just had trouble articulating it in an effective manner. The boy had the potential to be quite dangerous were he to get over his immaturity.

"I'm just saying that Chase is tough to beat, that's all!" Jack replied with a touch of shaky nerves as he desperately tried to back peddle from his ill-advised statement. Guan took pity on the boy.

"Spicer has a point. I'm sure he meant no personal offence." In reply Omi stepped up proudly.

"Kimiko is most able the clutch herself against the advances of Chase Young."

With that innocently suggestive statement, the atmosphere completely changed. Clay scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, unsure if he should correct Omi and inform him just what his statement sounded like. Raimundo could only sputter red faced. Jack, for his part, was perfectly content to make things even worse and let out a jibe before Guan could get a word in to diffuse the situation.

"I dunno cheese ball, Chase can be pretty sexy when he wants to be."

"Dammit Omi its "hold her own"." Raimundo snapped.

"What does Chase Young's sex appeal have to do with this." Omi said in reply, his round head tilting sideways.

"Nothing!" Raimundo spat, his face red

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

"I'm not embarrassed!" Raimundo all but shouted. Clay stepped up to try and solve things

"Look partner, I think what Rai's tryin to say was that your statement made it sound like Chase had the wrong sort of intentions for our spitfire." Omi remained confused.

"Intentions?" Clay opened his mouth before Guan cut in.

"It doesn't really matt-"

"He means that Chase wants to fuck her." Jack shot in and Omi stared at him with wide eyes.

"Jack Spicer!" Guan scolded harshly, partly because of the crudeness with which his student was referred and partly because Spicer's remarks were not totally untrue. The last thing Guan needed was for the boys to get involved in this issue just because Jack Spicer had decided to make a thoughtless playground taunt.

"You son of a bitch!" Rai shouted, advancing on the albino with a fist raised. Clay yanked on his arm, impeding his process. He flung back with a jerk as the cowboy tugged on his sleeve.

"Whoa, whoa calm down Rai!"

"Chase wants to WHAT!?" Omi screeched.

"Can everyone please settle down." Guan tried irritably but went unheard as Rai's thrashing kept attention away from the elder.

"He doesn't want to do anything partner, Jack's just being an idiot." Omi seemed satisfied for the moment but Jack continued unimpeded.

"I mean I don't blame Chase. Kimiko is a total Xilf."

"A what?" Omi asked, flabbergasted.

"Spicer." Guan warned darkly, knowing where the statement was heading, "Don't you dare-"

"A Xiaolin I'd like to fu-" Raimundo launched at the genius with a roar, Jack's comment startling Clay enough to loosen his hold on the Brazilian. The albino yelped, sliding backwards and falling on his ass as Raimundo advanced on him. The wind dragon didn't reach his target however, as Guan stepped in his path, clamping a firm iron hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Stop it. You look ridiculous." He scolded harshly. Raimundo glared at him, but Guan remained firm, an expression of disapproval etched onto his face. Omi and Clay stood by warily as the two stared each other down. Suddenly, a burst of energy rocked the area. From a distance, Dojo was roused from the rock he had been sleeping on as the showdown came to a close, the vines surrounding the arena beginning to disperse. The dragon jumped up and made his way towards the monks and became curious upon arrival.

"What I miss?"

"Nothing." Rai snapped, shrugging of Guan's hand and prowling back to Clay and Omi as the magic of the showdown receded. Dojo looked at Guan with an eyebrow raised but he only shook his head. The two looked the other monks who made their way to where Chase a Kimiko were know standing, a much relieved Jack trailing behind. Guan turned a critical eye towards the young genius staying behind with Guan and Dojo.

"Making crude remarks is rather immature, even for you." Guan said critically. Jack looked up at him and raised his eyebrows, donning a subtle but sly smirk on his face.

"I was only stating the obvious." He replied, his eyes glimmering and quite suddenly Guan realized that the entire exchange had been completely purposeful on Jack's part. The shrewdness in the young mans expression spoke volumes. It seemed that Jack had grown up after all.

"Well nothing can be salvaged here. Might as well skip town." And with that Jack activated his helipack, gliding away from Guan and the scene of the showdown, but not before casting a quick glance at Chase and Kimiko. He turned towards Guan in mid air and waved.

"Good luck with that." And then he was gone with a whirl of machinery.

Guan narrowed his eyes at the retreating silhouette, but could think no further on the deceptive man as a commotion took him from his thoughts and Dojo's voice rung through the air.

"Come on Raimundo he won the showdown fair and square." Guan looked to find Dojo, whom he hadn't realized had already joined the monks, standing between Chase and Raimundo, the latter of which looked like he was just itching for a fight as he glared at the Heylin. Chase for his part looked rather bored but slightly amused. Clay and Omi were completely exasperated and Kimiko was downright confused. As Guan moved closer to the disagreement, the conversation revealed itself.

"And why, prey tell, would I not be considered the winner of this challenge?"

"Rai, It was a fair win." Kimiko insisted, her confusion melting into irritation when the wind dragon refused to back down.

"I don't know that! You were alone with him and we couldn't see anything!"

"I was there Rai! What the hell are you even going on about?" Kimiko said angrily. Clay put a hand on Raimundo's shoulder while Omi stared at Chase with a slightly green face, but the older man was too busy glaring at Raimundo, his calm countenance suddenly disappearing at Raimundo's statement.

"Come on Rai, I told you Jack was just trying to rile ya."

"Just what exactly are you implying, wind dragon?" Everyone turned their attention to Chase, who was staring at Raimundo with cold, narrowed eyes. Raimundo returned an identical look and stepped closer to the warlord, meeting his golden eyes.

"You know exactly what I'm implying."

It was so silent one could hear a pin drop, as all of the men stared at the scene with tense, wide eyes. Even Guan couldn't believe Raimundo had made such an obvious accusation. Kimiko seemed to understand just what exactly was going on as her face immediately flushed scarlet. She pursed her lips and donned a rather thunderous expression at Raimundo. Guan knew he had to intervene before something nasty broke out. He walked between the to quarrelling men, putting a hand on Raimundo's chest and gently pushing him back. He stared apologetically at Chase.

"I'm sure Raimundo doesn't rally think you cheated Chase," He began, trying to make the accusation sound like something it was not, "We had a bit of a scuffle with Jack. Some insults were said and he's a bit riled up. Loosing the showdown just set him off is all. You know how dragons of wind can be." He finished, trying to solve this diplomatically. No one believed him, but Guan knew Chase wasn't one for petty fighting. Kimiko remained silent, her murderous expression cooled but no less angry.

"I accept your apology, but you should teach your warriors not to make groundless accusations against my honor." He sneered. Clay and Omi looked distinctly uncomfortable and were more than eager to follow Raimundo as he scoffed violently and turned to Dojo.

"Let's get out of here." He said grumpily, climbing on Dojo with the others. That left just the three of them and Kimiko stared awkwardly at Chase.

"Sorry about him." She said, appearing to be uncomfortable at treating a Heylin cordially. Chase merely snorted.

"The boy needs to learn some self control." Chase shifted his eyes towards Guan, disdain and a touch of mockery in their depths.

"One would think you would train that out of him." Guan refused to give Chase the satisfaction of being insulted by the barb. He opened his mouth to give a retort but Kimiko beat him to it.

"One would think that men of honor such as yourself would learn to accept apologies gracefully." She said, a sarcastic tone in her voice that made Chase's eyes glimmer. Guan would normally expect him to react with a scathing retort but Chase merely smirked at her, an amusement in his eyes Guan only saw when he faced a challenge. Kimiko mirrored his expression, her eyes daring him to come up with the next retort. It looked to be a game they had played before and Guan wondered how much they had gotten to talking during the showdown. Unfortunately he didn't get a chance to see the winner as Raimundo's voice shouted from the distance.

"Kimiko come on!" The woman in question turned her head towards her friends in exasperation. Raimundo was already on top of Dojo, looking completely agitated while Clay and Omi looked on warily.

"I'm coming Rai geez!" She shouted back. She turned back to Chase and Guan, putting on a rather victorious expression.

"So sorry you didn't have the last word Chase." She said it with an air of playful victory and Chase reacted with such amusement that Guan became almost certain they had talked quite extensively, if the exchange was anything to go by. Chase shrugged.

"Can't win them all." He cast an amused glance at the boys. "You should probably return to your little boyfriend before he has an aneurism."

Kimiko said nothing although it was obvious she was flustered, as her beet red face took on an outraged expression, displaying the temper that fire dragons were infamous for. It appeared Chase had won this round. Kimiko huffed and turned on her heal, briskly making her way towards the others. Guan saw Chase's gaze follow her and the look in his eyes was something Guan certainly did not care for. It was similar the one he had seen earlier, only without the shock. Chase's eyes were narrowed lazily, his pupils unfocused and lips parted only slightly. Guan knew lust when he saw it. He glared at Chase, hard.

"Stay away from her Chase." Quite suddenly the stare on the warlord's face was shaken off and Guan realized he had been doing it unintentionally. Chase looked at Guan, a cold, stoic veil replacing his open emotions.

"I'm no fool Guan." He said coldly, darkly.

"Really?" Guan said doubtfully. "Because you were certainly staring like one." The look Chase gave him was venomous and a lesser man would have cowed away from the topic. That was likely Chase's intention but Guan was undaunted, merely matching the glare with one of his own.

"I'm no fool Guan." He repeated with a hiss, "Don't you dare treat me as if I were some green boy like Raimundo. I know better."

"Do you really?" Guan pressed, an emphatic look of warning in his eyes.

"I do." With that, Chase teleported away before Guan could get another word in. He gave a long sigh and turned towards the monks. As he walked, he contemplated Chase's words. He should have felt reassured but for some reason he just wasn't. His warning had gotten through and Chase seemed to heed it. The Heylin intended to stay away from her, but would he be able to? The doubt in his mind only increased as he rode dojo with the other monks. Kimiko had been silent while the others argued. There was a contemplative look in her eyes and a very familiar and very worrying type of haze glazing them.

He could only pray that they could both be trusted. But in the back of his mind, Guan knew it was only a matter of time.


	4. Chapter 4

The air swished as Dojo touched down in the courtyard. Fung had not yet appeared and Guan took a moment to eye the monks warily. Clay and Omi were exchanging worried glances and he could hear the shorter monk loudly swallow as Kimiko dismounted Dojo, silent as death with a cold anger in her eyes that Guan had never seen from her, although he had seen it on someone else on multiple occasions after he turned Heylin. It was a look that promised danger to whomever made it appear. It made Guan wary but he didn't blame the woman. However well intentioned, Raimundo had gravely insulted her with his implications. Kimiko was a proud person, and to receive such a judgment merely because of her gender was something the woman often did not take well. Although, Guan thought as he turned his gaze to Raimundo who was staring at her in guilt, it was likely the wind dragon's jealousy that had caused his outburst rather than any qualities of the woman herself. Kimiko turned her back to the monks and began silently walking to the main temple. Guan knew better than to try to say anything, the fire dragon needed her own time to cool down before she faced them again. Raimundo did not have the same idea.

"Kimiko…." He began, reaching his arm out. Kimiko stopped her trek and turned her head slightly, the ice in her eyes making all of the monks flinch.

"Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me in front of everyone?" She hissed icily. The men were quiet, Raimundo shocked into silence. Kimiko turned back around and stalked into the temple, the door slamming with a crack that echoed through the courtyard. Raimundo lowered his hand, his mouth beginning to curl into a snarl. Guan had the feeling that he would have punched a hole into the wall if he were close enough.

"Dammit." He hissed, climbing of Dojo and storming in the opposite direction. Clay and Omi were left sitting there with open distress painted plainly on their faces. Guan shot them a kind smile as they hopped of Dojo.

"Do not worry young warriors." He said, putting a reassuring hand on Omi's shoulder, as the little monk was looking particularly upset. "They just need some time."

"I am sure you are right Master Guan." Omi replied, looking up at him with a shaky smile.

"They always work it out." Clay chimed in and Guan tilted his head.

"This isn't the first time a fight like this has happened?" He inquired. Clay scoffed.

"Not by a long shot, though I gotta say I haven't seen one this bad before."

It appeared his earlier assumptions about the stability of the group's relationship were slightly incorrect. Guan hoped it was something that would eventually work itself out and not something that would fester like it had with him and Chase.

"As master Guan said, I'm sure things will get better with time." Omi replied, his smile now much more confident. Guan had to fight to keep his own as he stared at the door that Kimiko had entered through. A subtle crack tarnished the length of the wood.

The next month proved dismal. Tensions at the temple were unrelenting ever since the showdown. Raimundo remained in a sour mood throughout the month, while Kimiko would barely show herself around the temple. Omi and Clay could only stand back helplessly while their two teammates remained stuck in this frigid stalemate. One of them would snap eventually, of that he was certain, and Guan was not looking forward to the nasty fight that would follow once they began speaking to each other.

"Lets all have dinner together." Omi suggested to him one day. Guan had looked at him from his place across the table shooting a placating smile.

"I don't think that would work." Guan replied, refilling his cup with steaming tea. He held the pot towards Omi who shook his head.

"It has been almost a month now." Omi replied, his eyes sparkling with worry, "We must get back together as a team before we loose another wu to Chase Young and the Heylin."

At the mention of the warlord a new sprout of foreboding blossomed in Guan's chest. Since that first tense showdown, in the past month there had been no less than one showdown almost every other day. Needles to say, when the Wu decided to reactivate they came alive full force. Chase had, unfortunately, managed to be present at every single wu activation. It was a telling sign for someone who normally only occasionally appeared at showdowns. He had ether gained a new enthusiasm for Shen Gong Wu or something else entirely. It wasn't hard to guess what that something else was as Chase's true attention had rarely strayed from a certain dragon of fire. It was very subtle, the warrior's appreciation shown through no more than the mere shift of his eyes or the slight turning of his head. It happened so often though, and towards her with such a disproportionate amount compared to the others, that the warrior's interest was rather obvious although only because Guan was examining him closely. He may not have been so concerned of he weren't seeing similar actions from Kimiko. The way her blue eyes would glimmer in Chase's direction whenever he made his usual grand entrance and would rarely leave his form during the ensuing battle was a cause for immense concern. They were so obviously attracted to one another, even more so than he had feared. The only consolation Guan had was that while Chase was obviously entranced, he seemed to be heeding Guan's words. The warlord had been careful to stay as far away from her as he could without drawing attention, focusing on engagements with the other monks and deftly avoiding getting into another showdown with her. So far the only thing exchanged had been looks and expressions although there was obviously something electric brewing between the two, something Guan had to diffuse before looks of appraisal turned physical.

"At this rate I fear they will never speak unless we throw them together somehow."

"I'm sorry?" Guan asked, nearly choking on his tea. He managed to retain his dignity, although Omi tilted his head at the sight of Guan's somewhat startled expression.

"Do you think my attempt to get Raimundo and Kimiko back to talking is a bad idea?" He asked with worry. Guan shook himself inwardly.

Guan didn't want to push the two, feeling it would be better for them to make up on their own time. Perhaps though, that was merely an excuse he was using to avoid the very real possibility of Raimundo loosing his temper and shouting out the problem between Chase and Kimiko for all to hear. The most recent showdowns have had an increased number of competitors on the Heylin. That made for a lot of opponents, opponents that needed paying attention to. Omi and Clay were perfectly efficient, dividing attention to multiple enemies. Even Kimiko was still giving an appropriate amount of eyes to her other opponents. Raimundo, however, would watch Chase like a hawk, almost never paying any mind to the others unless attacked. When the warlord would give those subtle clues of his appreciation, Guan would watch the Brazilian's eyes narrow and his lips curl in displeasure. He was seeing what Guan was seeing and the elder monk feared the boy would be unable to control his jealously enough to prevent him from keeping quiet on the matter. Guan could only thank the gods that Raimundo was too focused on Chase to notice Kimiko's reciprocation. Things would have probably exploded by now if he had. Guan wanted to avoid a dramatic confrontation that would possibly reveal the delicate situation to the other monks and anyone else for that matter. It was bad enough that Jack had implied he was aware of the situation.

"I'm not sure that would be wise." Guan said, setting his teacup down with a clatter against the table. The rather crestfallen expression that fell onto Omi's countenance caused his conviction to waver.

"I just want everyone to get along again." Omi replied sadly. Guan felt for the boy. None of this was anyone's fault and the issue should concern nobody outside of a select few. He didn't want Omi to have to worry about it yet he also didn't want the young man to fret over the tension between his two teammates. It was bad for the team dynamic and it was reflected in the amount of Wu the dragons had been loosing to the Heylin. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps a compromise…

"Why don't I speak to them?" Guan asked and Omi instantly perked up.

"I guess that would be a good idea. If anyone can solve this it's you."

"I am sure I will be able to talk some sense into the two."

He would speak to them individually. Raimundo would be told to cool his head and he could begin to attempt some kind of dialogue with Kimiko concerning the air between her and Chase. Although he, mostly, trusted Chase's word things happen and this needed to be stopped before it snowballed.

"Indeed. I have faith in you." With that Omi set his own cup down, rising from his seat with a grace only a trained martial artist could have. He shot Guan a smile before turning and exiting the room. The water dragon seemed outwardly happy with Guan's idea but there was a glimmer in his eyes that told the monk he wasn't truly satisfied. Guan heaved a sigh once the monk was out of earshot. He would speak to Raimundo and Kimiko after dinner before Omi got any ideas.

Guan watched as Clay and Omi chattered animatedly Omi was boasting about an earlier showdown while Clay would silently nod and smile. Guan was surprised yet pleased to see them in such good spirits. The two had been quite morose at dinner over the past month, staring at the empty places where Kimiko and Raimundo usually sat. He glanced over at Fung who shot him a pleased and slightly curious expression over his teacup. His eyes inquired silently but Guan shook his head. However the two had managed to cheer themselves up, Guan had nothing to do with it. Although he was almost certain that Omi had told the cowboy about Guan's plans to speak to their teammates, the slightly disappointed gleam he had seen in Omi's expression earlier that day told him that Guan's words had not been enough to elicit such excitement from the two. Fung had certainly not spoken to them, as the man seemed as perplexed as he himself was. Dojo perhaps? There was no way to tell as the dragon had left that morning on some kind of errand he refused to elaborate on. Regardless of the reason for this newfound cheer, it was nice to see a more positive atmosphere at the dinner table.

"You two seem to be in good spirits today." Fung remarked, vocalizing the curiosity Guan felt. Omi looked at his old teacher with a happy smile, the same earlier glimmer in his eyes.

"We think things are going to improve very soon." Omi chirped. He cast a quick glance at Guan and the trace of smug triumph he found in the monk's eyes suddenly made him uneasy.

"Oh?" Fung asked, narrowing his eyes. "How so?" Omi's smile became impossibly brighter.

"Well-"

"Sorry I'm late Omi." Kimiko's voice interrupted the young monk as she entered the room. She wore her hair pulled back, with a flush on her cheeks signaling that she had rushed to get to the dining room.

"I went for a walk and lost track of time." She said sheepishly, blushing. Guan didn't much care for her reasoning at the moment as he was beginning to have an inkling of what Omi was planning. A pit of doom settled into his stomach and Guan braced himself for the next person who would likely be walking through the doorway within a few minutes.

"No problem Kim." Clay replied happily. "Its nice to see you at dinner. We've barely seen each other outside of showdowns this past month."

"Yes, well." Kimiko began, looking away in something that resembled guilt. "I needed some time on my own to cool off."

Guan himself had seen very little of the fire dragon. She seemed to spend obscene amounts of time in her room and he had begun to worry that her brooding had gone too far. Even Raimundo could occasionally be seen training in the courtyard, although the boy obviously kept an eye out for his volatile teammate. Both he and Kimiko had been taking their meals in their rooms. The fact that she was standing here now likely had something to do with Omi and Clay.

"It is quite alright Kimiko. I am just happy that you accepted our invitation."

Guan narrowed his eyes. So that was his game.

"As long as Raimundo isn't here I'm fine." Kimiko replied shooting her teammates a smile and seating herself gracefully next to Guan. Omi laughed nervously, averting his eyes. Kimiko looked at him from the corner of her own.

"Have some tea Kimiko." Fung said, lifting the teapot and gesturing towards her. Kimiko turned her body to take her tea, a glimmer of something on the back of her head catching the light.

"Where'd you get that Kim?" Clay asked, pointing to the shimmering clip holding her hair in place.

"It is quite stunning" Omi said in wonder and Guan had to agree. The piece was made entirely of jade, shaped into the form of a butterfly. At the center of each beautifully curved and pointed wing sat a deep red gemstone that matched her monk robes perfectly. The hair clip was simple, elegant, and obviously an antique. It looked familiar to Guan but for the life of him he just could not remember from where.

"I got it from papa." Kimiko said, putting her hand on the clip in what appeared to be surprise. A slight blush tinged her cheeks and she looked away from them. "I forgot I was wearing it in my rush to get here."

"It looks very lovely on you." Guan said kindly. He opened his mouth to ask where her father got such an item, hoping it would shed some light on where he had seen it before, but a presence in the doorway killed the words in his throat. Kimiko looked at him curiously at what he knew was a stricken expression, before following his gaze to the doorway. Her sky blue eyes went cold and the air was sucked out of the room.

Raimundo stood in the doorway, fidgeting under Kimiko's ruthless glare.

"Kimiko…what are you doing here?" He asked numbly before casting a sharp glance at Omi and Clay who shot them guilty smiles.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kimiko asked the two icily.

"We thought it was about time the two of you made up." Omi said, obviously nervous but standing his ground. Guan sat frozen, both angry with Omi for going against his word and calculating how he would be able to steer this away from dangerous territory.

"I'll make up when he apologizes." Kimiko quipped, glaring at Raimundo. Something in the boy suddenly snapped and the tension within him released.

"I have nothing to apologize for." He said in response and Kimiko threw her hands up.

"You have many things to apologize for!" She nearly shouted back, balling her fists and contorting her face into absolute rage as she shot out of her seat. Omi flinched back at the outburst, his face turning pale. Served him right, Guan thought.

"Maybe you should explain first." He shot back, his face turning red. Guan knew exactly where this was going. He stood up desperately.

"Both of you need to calm down." He said but was ignored.

"Explain what exactly?" Kimiko shouted back, advancing on Raimundo. This time Fung was the one to stand.

"Let us not loose our tempers this is not-"

"Maybe you can start by explaining why you've been acting like some stupid woman around Chase!"

The crack of skin on skin sounded throughout the room. The silence was deafening. Guan could hear the buzzing of his ears as the worst-case scenario played out before him. Fung stared at Raimundo with wide, panicked eyes. Clay was frozen in his seat, the tea from the teacup he had dropped on the table mere moments ago spilling onto his lap. Omi was pale as death, with a guilty glimmer in his eyes and a hand over his mouth. Raimundo stared at Kimiko, his mouth still parted from his previous statement, too shocked to close it due to the slap she had just given him. The girl in question seemed as shocked as he was, but the cold fury in her glare overrode any kind of guilt she may have felt. The fire dragon backed away, balling her hands into fists at her sides. She looked down at the floor, her face red in mortification

"How dare you." She said coldly.

"Kimiko I'm sorry." Raimundo said remorsefully, reaching out a hand towards her. "I didn't mean-" She slapped his hand away, turning around and making a beeline for the door, a glitter of tears fluttering amongst her ebony hair. Raimundo made to move after her but Fung took his shoulder in an iron grip. He whirled on his former master but Guan didn't stay long enough to hear the argument that would likely ensue, instead briskly following Kimiko out the door. He could hear Raimundo shouting as he crossed the courtyard. Kimiko had already gone quite a ways by the time he made it to the front gate. He could see her form walking stiffly down the dirt path leading away from the temple and into the forest, the fog of her breath dancing around her slight frame as she marched. Guan trotted up to the gate.

"Kimiko!" He shouted, the chill of the air stinging his throat.

"Fuck off!" She roared back, not turning around or slowing her pace. Guan put a hand on his head and huffed in irritation. After a few moments he decided to let her go and cool herself off, knowing he wouldn't be able to get anywhere with the state she was in. He could now hear the shouts of all three monks echoing across the courtyard. Guan watched the glimmer of Kimiko's hairclip as she disappeared behind the tree line. He turned and walked back towards the dining room, dreading the mediating he was going to have to do in a few moments. Suddenly he stopped, his breath halting as he realized where he had seen that shining butterfly clip before. He could remember, fifteen hundred years ago when Chase had shown him that very same accessory, explaining that it was an important family heirloom that had been previously been owned by his mother. Guan let out a rare swear, whirling around and sprinting out of the temple. He ran down the path and into the forest coming to a stop where Kimiko should logically be when taking her pace into account. He looked around the area frantically but couldn't find her. A familiar crackle of magic prickled his senses and he moved quickly to the source, bursting through the tree line into a moonlit clearing. There was nothing, save for the rustling of grass against the wind and the violent puffs of Guan's breath. A flicker of something in the center caught his attention.

It was the final black wisps of Chase Young's teleportation magic.


	6. Chapter 6

Guan stood there, staring at the trees. A part of him wanted to go right to chase’s citadel and confront the man, but Kimiko would likely be there and he did not want to start a scene. He also did not want the other monks wondering where he was and why he was taking so long to get Kimiko back. They would probably follow him and lord knows what would happen if Raimundo found out she had left with Chase. A death match with Chase was not something Guan wanted to deal with. Despite what the monks may have experienced of Chase in the past, namely their good amount of victories against him, Guan knew Raimundo wouldn’t stand a chance if he was alone in a true fight against the warlord. And it would be a true fight, if Raimundo attacked the immortal with killing intent. Chase showed little mercy when attempts on his life were made. 

Guan could not run after the two, But the fact that Kimiko was alone with Chase, in his own home no less, was certainly something that could not be ignored. He didn't think anything serious would happen, as they had barely spoken to each other. The only time he could remember them having any contact was that first showdown. He doubted Kimiko would through herself into such a dangerous affair with a man she barely knew. She was smarter than that. He had time to talk to her before anything serious happened. Guan made his decision. 

He could pick up the echoes of Raimundo’s shouting from the temple and with one last weary glance at the clearing, he began his silent trek back. As he emerged from the tree line and crossed into the temple gate, he could hear that Raimundo was still on his tirade, after witch the calm but stern voice of Fung rumbled through the wall. Guan crossed the courtyard and entered the dining room to find the wind dragon standing where Kimiko had slapped him. Clay and Omi where still seated at the table, looking terrified, while Fung stood in front of Raimundo, impassive in the face of the wind dragon’s rage.

“You need to calm down,” he said.

“How can I calm down when something like this is going on!” Raimundo said.

“Nothing is going on,” Guan said. Fung shot him a startled glance. Omi and Clay snapped their gazes towards the elder monk. Raimundo glowered.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said.

“Okay now what in the hell is everyone getting their undies in a bunch over?” Clay said loudly, “Cause I think you’re leaving me and the little fella out of the loop.”

“Don't tell me you haven’t seen how he looks at her!” Raimundo said.

“So? He thinks Kim is pretty,” Clay said. “He can get away with looking, so he does. I’ve seen her get worse looks before.” 

“I think it’s dangerous!” Raimundo said.

“And I think your just up tight about it cause your threatened.”

Guan nearly choked and was about to say something before Raimundo cut in.

“That's not true,” he said. Guan saw him clench his fists.

“We are not stupid Raimundo.” Omi said. He made eye contact with both Fung and Guan.

“We’ve seen the way you've been looking at her, have always been looking at her,” Clay said.

“And now you are just upset because Chase is starting to give her those same looks.” Omi finished.

“It’s more than that!” Raimundo said. Guan stepped between the two sides.

“There is nothing more to this Raimundo,” Guan said.

“We should not make a mountain out of a mole hill.” Fung said. Raimundo glared hard at Guan, but suddenly his eyes lit up and he stared at two of them.

“Your trying to hide it from us aren’t you?” He said. He shifted his gaze frantically between Fung and Guan. His former master held out a hand.

“Now Raimundo-“ The wind dragon slapped the hand away.

“What is he talking about?” Omi said.

“Why couldn't you just talk to us about it!” Raimundo snapped. “We’re not kids anymore!”

“We know that,” Fung said.

“You obviously don’t if you’re hiding such things from us!”

“What is he talking about!” 

Omi marched around the table and stood before the three of them. Clay followed silently behind. Omi stared at Guan with his lips pursed together while Clay put his hands on his hips.

“We’re all here,” the cowboy said. “We have the right to know what all this mess is about.”

Guan stood there, finding himself without words. He pondered how an explanation could possibly result in anything but pandemonium. He could see it know. Omi would ask frantic questions while Clay would stand stock still with his mouth gaping like a fish. Raimundo would start making wild accusations and rile the other boys up to the point where all three would be storming Chase’s citadel and Guan could not even imagine what would happen when they saw the two together. What if they were embracing, kissing, saying pleasant words to each other?

“There is truly nothing to worry about.” Fung’s voice brought Guan out of his panicked musings.

“They have eyes for each other,” Raimundo said. His gaze narrowed on the elder monks, his fists clenching in his hands. Omi widened his eyes.

“Its mutual?!” He said.

“It is nothing to worry about,” Guan said, his voice firm. 

“I think it is,” Raimundo said.

“And I think you need to cool your head before you shame all of us.”

Raimundo crunched his lips together, his knuckles turning white.

“Have faith in your teammate,” Fung said. The boys did not reply.

“You are adults after all,” Guan said. Raimundo took a step forward and opened his mouth but Clay put a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s right.” The cowboy said. Raimundo jerked the hand off. He turned around and stalked out of the dining room. Moments later the slam of his bedroom door echoed throughout the hall and into the kitchen. Guan sighed, feeling a headache come on as he glanced at a grim faced Clay and a petrified Omi.

“Please do not worry,” Guan said. He walked up to Omi and put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, giving the young dragon a reassuring smile.

“Trust her.”

“Of course!” the monk said. “She will not be tempted to turn heylin like I was.”

Guan smiled at the naïve statement.

“Do you trust her Master Guan?” Clay said. Guan looked at the young man. He was frowning.

“Not to turn Heylin? Of course.” Not to start an affair with chase young? He wasn't sure what the answer to that was. The corner of Clay’s lips twisted.

“Where is she by the way?” Clay said. Guan inhaled slowly.

“She wanted some air.”

“So you caught up with her?” Omi said. His eyes grew hopeful.

“She said she would take a walk for a few hours.” 

“It is probably for the best.” Fung said. He met Guan’s eyes and narrowed his gaze. The Master monk tried hard not to fidget under the stare.

“Better outside than in her room all the time,” Clay said.

“Indeed. She was always so quiet in there, silent as a rodent.”

“Mouse, partner.”

“Was she really in her room so much?” Guan said. 

“Yeah,” Clay said. “I could swear it was almost like she wasn't even there she was moping so quietly.”

Guan did not reply. He thought back to the past month and the number of times he had actually seen Kimiko outside of showdowns. He could probably count them on one hand.  
Guan smiled at the young dragons.

“I think it would be best if we all retired for the evening and cooled our heads,” he said. Guan nodded to Fung who narrowed his eyes further for a moment before pasting a smile on his face. He put a hand on Omi’s shoulder.

“Good evening Master Guan,” He said. Guan nodded once more with a smile before turning around and walking out of the dining room. 

The hallway was dark, the contrast from the well lit room behind him straining his eyes. His smile fell from his face. He could hear Fung talking to Omi and Clay. They wouldn't be coming out of the dining room in the next few minutes. He turned a corner before exiting through a door to the outside. The crickets shrieked through the air as Guan made his way from the main building to the wu vault. He entered the circular building. It was empty, the dim glow of the torches his only companion. Guan stalked up to the center, pressing the floor tile and watched as the steps of the wu Vault sunk into the ground. He stepped into the stairwell, walking slowly down the passage, past the stone drawers housing the Shen Gong Wu. Guan stopped in front a drawer, scraped it open and took the mind Reader Counch from its home. He did the same for the Eye of Dashi and Changing Chopsticks, shoving each of the wu into his robes before calmly walking back up the stairwell. The stones groaned behind him as they began their ascent back up to ground level. Guan glanced at the now closed vault for a moment before shaking his head and walking out of the building. He stalked across the main courtyard and into the sleeping quarters. As he walked down the hall Dojo emerged from a doorway.

“Hello there friend. Back from your errand?”

The dragon turned suddenly to face him, his eyes widening for a moment before his face settled back into its usual grin. 

“Hey there Guan! Yup! Just getting back.”

“What were you doing out so late? If you don't mind me asking.”

“Talking to an old friend.”

“Care to elaborate?”

Dojo shrugged. “Not really.”

“It is not really my business,” Guan apologized. Dojo waved a hand.

“It wasn't really a big deal or anything. Just some guy I used to be friends with.”

Guan stood there for a moment, staring at Dojo. The dragon cocked his head to the side before slithering up to Guan’s feet.

“Ya need anything Guan?”

“Dojo, can I burrow your phone?” Guan said. He shifted slightly, causing the wu to clank against each other in his robes. Dojo shot a dubious glance at Guan’s pocket before meeting his eyes.

“You sure?” He said. He slowly produced the phone and held it out to Guan.

“Positive,” Guan said. He snatched the device out of the dragon’s hand. “Thank you Dojo.” He turned around and began to walk down the hallway.

“Make sure you give it back when you’re done! I just got the damn thing!” Dojo called to his retreating back. Guan waved a hand as he walked. He heard the dragon muttering as he disappeared into a doorway.

Guan continued down the corridor into the guest bedroom he had been provided. He sat on one of the floor cushions, looking warily about him before producing the three Wu from his pocket. He turned on the phone, his eyes straining at the glow of the screen amongst the darkness of the night.

“Changing Chopsticks.” He whispered. He tapped the Mind Reader Conch and Eye of Dashi, watching them shrink to the size of his fingernail. He held the bean sized Wu in between his fingers and stared at them, hesitating. Gathering his courage, he inserted the wu into the Sim card slot and gripped both edges of the phone tightly.

“Mind Reader Conch. Eye of Dashi.”

The device began to hum with energy, glowing a vibrant gold. The screen fizzed and he concentrated on Chase. It rattled until an image flashed onto the screen. Guan drew back with a gasp, nearly dropping the phone from his shaking hands.

Dear God!

They lay writhing together, panting amongst the turquoise sheets of Chase’s bed. Kimiko was underneath him, digging her nails into the skin of his back and tugging her hand through his long hair. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and he held her thigh in an iron grip as he thrust inside of her, groaning into the heated kiss they were sharing. He pulled away slightly, his golden eyes hazed with lust and affection as he threaded his hand through the damp hair clinging to her face. She whimpered in pleasure, meeting his eyes and shooting him a sweet smile. She began to rake her nails down his back, causing him to bury his face into her neck with a groan.

“God you’re so fucking beautiful.” He growled, his voice laced with a draconic tinge as he nipped on her neck. Guan watched as their movements became more frantic and Kimiko’s sudden cry of ecstasy snapped him out of his daze. He threw the device down as if it burned his skin. He rubbed his hand on his head, his bulging eyes taking in the lover’s writhing motions on the screen as the phone lay innocently on the floor. He heard the scrape of a foot against wood and whipped his head around to the doorway, where a pale Raimundo stood. He was completely, staring at the glowing screen of the phone. All was silent save for the electronic moans of the lovers, which were becoming increasingly loud.

“Raimundo…” Guan said hesitantly to the young man. It seemed to jerk something within him as the boy suddenly snarled and raised his hand, shooting a gust of wind at the innocent device, which shattered in a rain of metal as soon as the violent gale swept over it. His dark eyes swept to Guan and the blankness in them startled the elder monk.

“I’m going over there,” he hissed. He turned on his heel and walked steadily out of the room. Guan scrambled up after him, surprised to see that the wind dragon had already made it halfway down the corridor by the time Guan made it through the door. Raimundo turned a corner. That direction did not lead to the exit. Guan thought for a moment before widening his eyes.

The Wu vault!

“Shit Guan! Stop him!” He heard Dojo shout as the little green dragon emerged from the shadows. Guan looked at the dragon curiously.

“Were you there the whole time?”


End file.
